Simon Corbell launches attack on Liberals during no confidence motion against him

Sustainable Development Minister Simon Corbell has launched a tirade against the Canberra Liberals in the Legislative Assembly.

The Liberals were moving a motion of no confidence against Mr Corbell when Brendan Smyth referred to an incident in 2004 when Mr Corbell was censured for misleading the Legislative Assembly.

Mr Corbell says it is important to be clear about the circumstances of that matter.

"I was diagnosed with clinical depression, and relied on me to take 3 months off work with the support of my colleagues to recover," he said.

"I was not in a fit state to do my job when that censure happened, but I accept responsibility for it.

"The problem that Mr Smyth has, is that he takes advantage in a gross, despicable and disgusting way when he reiterates that claim."

Mr Corbell says he takes responsibility for the 2004 incident.

"I also feel that it is incumbent on me to explain why it occurred, but I will never accept the vitriol and the disgusting approach adopted by Mr Smyth when he rakes over those coals for his base, crass, political advantage," he said.

"I have sat here year after year and heard him use those terms without any human recognition of what was occurring to me at that time."

The Liberals were trying to censure Mr Corbell for misleading the Legislative Assembly during a debate on Tuesday morning.

Mr Corbell referred to confidential committee minutes that he should not have had access to.

When the Liberals asked where he got them, he said they were available online.

Mr Corbell later clarified that the minutes were not published on the internet.